EFFECT OF HEAVY METAL INDUSTRIAL TOXIC EFFLUENT ON A MOSS HYOPHILA INVOLUTA (HOOK.) JAEG

摘要

A moss Hyophila involula (Hook.) Jaeg. showed high tolerance capacity against heavy metal industrial toxic effluent of two heavy metal industries of Rajasthan, i.e. Hindustan Zinc Smelter (Debari), Udaipur and Hindustan Copper Smelter (Khetri), Jhunjunu. Lower concentrations favoured ultimate regeneration, for example, one per cent of Zn and Cu effluent showed high speed of regeneration, i.e., 76, 78 and 75 per cent in Zn effluent and 74, 78 and 73 per cent in Cu effluent from leaf, stem and rhizoid explants. Higher concentrations of both Zn and Cu contaminated effluent delayed the regeneration. For example, in Zn contaminated effluent regeneration took place after 46,40 and 43 days in leaf, stem and rhizoid explants respectively, while the regeneration occurred after 46, 40 and 41 days in Cu contaminated effluent. The maximum tolerance capacity was up to 70%. Above this concentration no gametophore formation was found.